


It’s No Joke

by wackyjacqs



Series: Bizarre Holidays [184]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Episode: s03e12 Jolinar's Memories, Episode: s03e13 The Devil You Know, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 08:40:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19460395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wackyjacqs/pseuds/wackyjacqs
Summary: "Thank you for the pep talk, sir.”“Don’t mention it,” he says with a smile as he turns towards the door. “I’m not just here for my good looks and bad jokes, you know.”





	It’s No Joke

**Author's Note:**

> Written for ‘International Joke Day’ (1 July). This turned out more angsty than I’d planned…
> 
> Also, this is for agrainne24 who chose the holiday. :)

Sam waits as her computer powers down and sighs. She’s worried about her dad and wants nothing more than to rescue him from Netu, but she’s anxious because the entire mission is relying on her and her memories of Jolinar and she isn’t sure she’ll be able to do what is needed of her.

Recently, she’s been trying to access those memories but to no avail. It’s frustrating, but no-one else but her was waiting on results, so she was willing to try for a little longer before she contacted her dad to ask for help, but now it’s different, because this is her dad’s life, and Selmak’s life, in the balance. Only she can get them back.

It’s a terrifying and sobering thought and she can feel herself starting to panic when a shadow falls over the desk. She looks up, surprised to find her commanding officer staring at her. His expression is neutral, but his eyes are dark and questioning.

“You sure you’re up for this?”

She feels herself nodding, but she guesses it convinces him as much as it convinces her and she shrugs.

“I need to do this.”

“And you will.”

“It’s just...”

“It’s Dad.”

“Yeah.”

Silence falls between them and Sam feels ridiculous at the sudden lump in her throat. She looks away, but not quick enough and he sees the unshed tears in her eyes.

“If you want me to tell Marty to back off –”

“No, it’s fine, sir.” She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “ _I’ll_ be fine.”

“Then talk to me.”

“What if I can’t do this, sir,” she whispers. “What if I can’t access the information we need to rescue my dad and he’s –”

“Carter,” he interrupts. “We’re going to get your dad out of there – with or without Jolinar’s memories.”

“I know,” she sighs, “but –”

“Listen to me, Sam. Rescuing Jacob is the priority here, but so are you. If you need to stop at any time, just say. You’re not doing this alone.”

He speaks with conviction and she finds herself believing him that it’s the first time she thinks the mission might just be a success. Her expression must reflect the change because the colonel’s lips twist into a small smile, right before he asks, “think you’ll be ready to ship out in thirty?”

“Yes, sir,” she nods. “And thank you for the pep talk.”

“Don’t mention it,” he says with a smile as he turns towards the door. “I’m not just here for my good looks and bad jokes, you know.”

She watches him leave and shakes her head in fond amusement. She looks away for a second and she’s just about to get to her feet when she notices the colonel standing at the far side of her lab bench again and she jumps.

“Sir?”

His expression seems lighter than it did moments earlier.

“Speaking of bad jokes…”

“Yes, sir,” she answers carefully.

“What did the fish say when it swam into the wall?”

“I... have absolutely no idea.”

“Dam.”

There’s a beat of silence as Sam lets the punchline sink in and despite the fact that she thinks it’s actually quite a funny joke, she doesn’t want him to know that, but her lips twitch before she finds herself smiling anyway.

She feels a little more pressure lift from her shoulders and something settles low in her belly when she realizes she really, _really_ enjoys these moments; when he has the ability to make her laugh or smile or _just feel better_ no matter how upset or angry she felt moments before.

A soft chuckle finally escapes her and Jack’s grin widens, clearly pleased with himself.

“See you in the gateroom, Carter,” he says as he casually raps his knuckles on the desk and turns on his heel.


End file.
